Our Viewpoint

Besides the drama of the presidential race, there are several issues on the ballot Nov. 4 that will have long-term consequences for our rights and the welfare of North County.
We’ve decided to take a few of the issues on the ballot and explain why it’s important that we stand together on these issues to make our county and state a better place.
Proposition 8
Most people have probably already heard a lot about Proposition 8. Unfortunately, most of what they’ve heard is lies.
Supporters of the initiative say that if it is defeated, schools will be forced to teach gay marriage to children, churches will get in trouble for disapproving of homosexuality and all sorts of unpleasantness will occur. The supporters aren’t trying to be deceitful, but they are badly misinformed. These things have nothing to do with Prop. 8.
The proposition is quite simple. In fact, what it adds to the law is just 14 words in the state constitution. These words are its entire contribution: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”
Gay marriage is legal in California right now. Saying no to Prop. 8 is a vote to keep things the way they are. If children aren’t being taught gay marriage now, they won’t be afterward. If a church isn’t in trouble now, it won’t be afterward. If heterosexual marriage is meaningful now, it will still continue to mean something.
All Prop. 8 will accomplish is to take away some people’s right to marry. That’s it. Full stop.
Some of us disagree with these people’s lifestyle, but just as we would not want others deciding what is right and wrong for us, we should not force others to live the same way we do.
And if somebody does try to force his or her beliefs on you someday, we will be there for you, just like we are here for gay Californians now. No group should have its rights trampled.
Remember to vote “no” on Prop. 8.
Proposition K
Let’s be honest: Most Americans need more taxes like they need solar-powered flashlights. But for once, it’s exactly the right choice.
Proposition K will keep sand on Encinitas beaches. As a side-effect of man’s meddling, our local beaches have found their sand gradually drained away by the sea over the years. In addition to the immediate effects of sand loss, this also speeds up bluff erosion.
The problem is that beaches need a lot of sand, and depositing as much sand as we’ve lost takes a lot of money.
To fight this, Prop. K would add a small tax for people renting vacation homes here. The same amount of tax is already paid by those who stay at hotels and other tourist lodgings, but short-term vacation rentals have gotten a break so far.
Prop. K needs a two-thirds majority vote to pass. Last June, a similar measure failed by the slimmest of margins — a strong 65 percent of Encinitas residents were in favor, but that was 1 percent shy of what the initiative needed.
This is Encinitas we’re talking about. When somebody is deciding where to rent a short-term house, he may or may not care about a 2 percent tax. But nobody is going to visit a beach town with no sand and falling bluffs.
Vote YES on Prop. K — to keep our precious beaches and give visitors their money’s worth.
Proposition 2
We have long been taught not to play with our food, but we’re rarely warned about abusing it.
As it stands, farm animals are crammed into cages and pens so tightly that they literally cannot even move. Their welfare is ignored beyond the bare minimum needed to turn them into food. It does not take a lot of searching on the Internet to see firsthand the awful conditions these poor creatures endure, but it’s only for those with strong stomachs.
With Proposition 2, the state would require companies to treat their animals more humanely while they are alive. The requirements aren’t overly demanding — it asks little more than letting the animals move around naturally — but the farming industry is fighting it tooth and nail.
In favor of the proposition are groups such as the Humane Society, the Center for Food Safety and the Consumer Federation of America.
Against the measure — almost alone — is an organization called “Californians for SAFE Food.” Never heard of it? That’s because it’s little more than a front for big farming corporations.
One side is the people interested in animal and human welfare. The other side is a bunch of companies looking to save a buck. It shouldn’t take a lot of thinking to decide whom we trust.
Vote YES on Prop. 2.